AJ and Rhys are back on the eve of Las Vegas to look at the third week of the NRL’s Pre-Season Challenge and how they are tracking on the eve of the NRL season which kicks off in the Sin City. There is so many selection talking points and takeaways from the trials that see each club on the brink.

We also live react to the Raiders Las Vegas bust-up as an inflatable baseball bat sends us into hysterics.

On the show

 - Penrith’s NSW Cup boys go to battle against Manly’s well rounded unit. We look at Trent Toelau and his breakout performance as well as Manly’s performance and those that are pushing for Round 1 selection.

- Terrell May and Jeral Skelton improve the one areaof the Tigers game. Plus we uncover some question marks around the Eels back-row spots and the hooker spot.

- Charity Shield recap - the Dragons showing impressive signs early on! Souths have some question marks around the halves.

- Brisbane show their class to win their second pre-season tournament in a row while the Dogs get out the rust as we prove the impact of Kurt Mann.

- Titans show us that they will be the NRL's equivalent of a Snakes and Ladders boardgame. Dolphins struggle to find their right half as we question where Max Plath's best position is.

- Newcastle's impressive performance as Sharpe and KP's combination becomes the talking point. AJ gives a brutal trial assessment on the Roosters BUT it isn't all doom and gloom!

- We answer our Cowboys questions and analyse how their halves will line up as we answer the question of Tom Duffy v Jake Clifford. We also analyse the Melbourne FB conundrum with the injuries to Papi and Fa'alogo.

AJ Lucantonio is joined for the first time in 2025 by co-host Rhys Sullivan to review the first full round of Pre Season Challenge matches.

On the show

- Stonestreet v Katoa while Raiders have some future dilemmas with the rise of future prodigies.

- Iongi v Papalii gets interesting for the fullback jersey as the Knights halves crisis leaves more questions than answers.

- What did we learn from the Dolphins and Warriors after beating up on their opposition who were playing their first trials.

- Metcalf, Tuaupiki and Leiataua make their mark ahead of Vegas.

- Lewis Dodd's Australian debut, our verdict...

- Brisbane dominate a disappointing Titans side

- Bulldogs and Tigers show their youth of the future will be a goldmine in future years

- What did the new look Dragons REALLY show against the Roosters

- All Stars Review

- LOLCOW of the Week!

AJ and guest host Aidan Edgecomb review the opening week of the NRL's third pre-season challenge.

They look at the Warriors run-on side and the performance of Luke Metcalf as well as Sam Healey's rise to potentially become the 14 for the trip to Vegas. Also the boys praise Demitric Vaimauga's performance off the bench as the Warriors look for impact off the bench. The Sharks discussion focuses on their young guns as well as Tom Hazelton and the wing battle.

The second game was more of a focus on youth as Canberra and Penrith answered little questions about their make up for Vegas. Young gun hooker Owen Pattie showed what he was worth while Chevy Stewart and Albert Hopoate impressed outwide. For Penrith, we debate the halves dilemna if Cleary gets hurt as well as debate Mav Geyer's future.

To wrap up, we address the Broncos win over QLD Cup side Burleigh and debate whether Jock Madden is the next man up in the halves if there is any other problem areas for the Broncos halves in 2025.

After the success of last year's episode, AJ and Rhys are back to analyse each club's train-and-trial prospects and those on supplementary deals (formerly development deals).

We do warn it will be a lengthy episode. To make it easier, here are the best attached timestamps so you can fast-forward to a club of your choice to listen to our assessment on junior talent.

2:39 - Brisbane Broncos

21:28 - Canterbury Bulldogs

35:18 - North Queensland Cowboys

52:59 - Dolphins

1:07:18 - St George-Illawarra Dragons

1:16:43 - Parramatta Eels

1:25:39 - Newcastle Knights

1:33:29 - Penrith Panthers

1:38:14 - South Sydney Rabbitohs

1:46:33 - Canberra Raibers

1:54:26 - Sydney Roosters

2:01:21 - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

2:09:55 - Cronulla Sharks

2:16:35 - Melbourne Storm

2:22:19 - Gold Coast Titans

2:30:03 - New Zealand Warriors

2:42:04 - Wests Tigers

Also linked into this episode are the show notes, where you can read the same document that we are reading as we go through the mammoth lists!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSvKp6KwLyG2uurQ3lt9zz1t5rtcqoaXpL2LmTjYcdNKeA7eHAzL47tTT4FDaKl1jMGsIQeU0Hm9Xvd/pub

Thanks so much for your support in 2024 and we will see and hear from you again in 2025!

AJ and Rhys

AJ and Rhys return to make their assessment on the recent round of international rugby league.

On the show today

- We assess all the chaos of the NRL off-season!

- We analyse how the Cook Islands and Fiji can improve their rosters ahead of the World Cup qualifiers and World Cup respectively.

- The boys analyse PNG's rise as they assess whether they are ready to be accepted into the NRL

- How can NZ rise to the challenge set by Tonga

- How can Tonga rise to get to the levels of Australia and England

- Has Mal Meninga's gamble of planning Australia's future paid off ahead of an Ashes series on foreign soil

- Could Herbie Farnworth be the Golden Boot pick!

AJ and Rhys cap off a successful but strangely predictable

We also offer our condolences to Melbourne who gave Penrith one big fright and ask whether they showed too many attacking plays in their blowout of the Roosters. We also analyse how their attack just lacked that final umph to get them over the top. Also this Grand Final Day we saw wins for the Roosters and Devils in the NRLW and State Championship.

The boys conclude our regular season with a look at the

AJ and Rhys review what was a chaotic preliminary final week in the NRL.

On the program this week

- NAS, will he or won't he play - we give our views before the judiciary handed down their sentence

- Melbourne's spine going to work as Jack Howarth has his coming out party.

- Roosters post mortem's - why there is hope in 25'

- Penrith grind out a prelim win - how much does that take it out of them

- Trindall takes the reigns at 7

- NRLW Semis Recap

- NSW Cup GF Recap

AJ and Rhys are back to review the major talking points of the second week of the finals. We look at all the big moments that dictated the course of the season and saw the Cowboys and Manly eliminated.

On the show

- Braydon Trindall's coming out party

- Nicho Hynes game management taking positive steps in the right direction

- Cowboys first half struggles

- Reflecting on Val Holmes' time as a Cowboy

- Jeremiah Nanai's involvement questioned.

- Redemption for Sandon Smith

- Teddy's best game as a Rooster

- Manly needing to diversify their forward pack to match it with the top four

- Is Garrick the answer at centre

- Round 9 NRLW review + finals preview

- NSW Cup prelim final recap + grand final review

- QLD Cup Grand Final Review

- LOLCOW of the Week

AJ and Rhys are back to review a chaotic opening week of the NRL finals.

On the show this week

- Roosters sticking loyal to Sandon Smith amid calls to bring in Joey Manu

- Penrith put together their best first half all year as they blitz the Roosters and AJ criticises Trent Robinson's bench rotation and praises Naufahu Whyte

- Melbourne blitz Cronulla as Hughes, Munster and Grant run riot

- The Hynes Impact - we analyse and see if it is truely his fault like the social media trolls tell us.

- North Queensland say goodbye to the Knights as Cotter and Dearden show their class.

- AJ and Rhys criticise the Knights' lack of recruitment direction as another recruitment manager comes in.

- Bulldogs fall just short but we review what was an incredible journey for the boys from Belmore

- Turbo playing busted but doing enough as Brooks and Koula show their class

- Reviews of NSW Cup and QLD Cup as grand final day draws near.

AJ and Rhys break-down the final round of this minor premiership year. Off the top, the boys quickly analyse the biggest issue in the game after the drama surrounding Josh Addo-Carr's road-side drug test, we look it all angles.

Also on the program

- Brisbane post-mortems, what is needed as the Storm blow the Broncos off the park

- SPOON BOWL! Parramatta play for their lives as the Tigers wave the white-flag

- The debut of Mr Nawaqanitawase as the Roosters battle prep for the Panthers as Souths ponder 2024 and prepare for Wayne's arrival

- Dragons let another lead slip as Flano blow torches the squad as Canberra finish the year with a bang !

- Cowboys put Canterbury's defence to the blow-torch as AJ puts question marks on the Bulldogs edges.

- Penrith farewell their stadium in style as they do just enough to squeeze past the Titans

- Cronulla show their spark - putting Manly to the sword without Nicho playing a starring role.

- Newcastle show enough class to get in the 8th spot!